Paperweight



I. L. MITCHELL PAPER WEIGHT Sept. 23, 1947.

Filed March 11, 1946 :2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Kim l. L. MITCHELI;

PAPER WEIGHT Sept. 23, 1947'.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1946 Mr w p in gL.Mvl'chell, glw

Patented Sept. 23, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPERWEIGHT Irving L. Mitchell, Rockville Centre, N. Y. Application March 11, 1946, Serial No. 653,685 7 Claims. (01. 120-82) The present invention relates to a device suitable as a, desk ornament, or the like, and which is particularly useful as a paper weight.

The object of the invention is to provide a stable construction which is readily handled and which, in addition, embodies an educational feature.

The novelty and utility of the invention will be understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side of the invention;

Figure 4 is a view assmbled relation;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of one part of the device, and

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the other part of the device.

Figure '7 is a vertical section of a modified embodiment of my invention;

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the lens member of the modified construction, and

Figure 9 is an end view of the modified construction with the parts in assembled position.

My device comprises a base member In and a top lens member ll. Referring to Figure 4, it will be seen that the base member is in the form of a fiat circular member having a central raised portion or pedestal member l2 which is substantially cylindrical. The pedestal is provided with an intermediate circumferentially extending ledge l3 for a purpose which will be described later. Adjacent the upper edge, the raised member I2 is provided with two or more outwardly extending projections or lugs I4. In the embodiment illustrated, the two lugs M are diametrically disposed, being formed by the ends of a pin carried in the raised member I2.

The upper surface of provided with a cylindrical depression or recess l5 adapted to receive a felt liner l6 or the like. Removably secured in any suitable manner upon the top surface of the liner is a pictorial representation or image I! of any suitable character.

The lens member H comprises a transparent cylindrical lens formed of transparent white methacrylate resin such as Lucite, or Plexiglass, glass or any other suitable transparent material. The lens can also be made of colored transparent plastic material or glass. In this conelevation, partly in section,

showing the parts in disthe raised member is nection, the base 10 will be made of similar material as the lens member or, of some suitable opaque or non-transparent material, e. g., metal such as aluminum.

As will be observed, the lens member H comprises a segment of a cylinder and has an upper curved or viewing portion l8 and a lower flat portion [9. A circular recess 20 is'formed in the flat portion IQ of the lens member whereby the lens member is adapted to be rotatably mounted about the raised portion 12 of the base member H]. By reference to Figure 4, it will be noted that the vertical wall of the recess 2|] is provided with a circumferentially extending groove 2|, which groove opens into a pair of diametrically opposed slots 22 having inclined bottoms 23 sloping toward the groove.

In assembling the device, the slots 22 are aligned with the projections M in the pedestal member and the two members are brought together, with the lugs l4 disposed in the slots 22, whereupon the inclined surfaces 23 will guide the pins l4 toward the bottom of the circumferential groove. Thereafter relative rotation of the two members will cause the projections to engage in the groove, thereby permitting the two member to rotate relatively to each other while being held securely together. In the embodiment illustrated, I have shown the raised member l2 as provided with the projections l4, and the wall of the recess 20 as provided with the groove 2|; but this manner and means for uniting the parts for relative rotation may be reversed.

By reference to Figure 2, it will be observed that the bottom of the cylindrical recess 20 is flat and parallel with the flat portion l9 of the lens member. The upper surface ofthe raised member l2 carrying the pictorial representation is likewise fiat and when the twomembers are assembled, the plane of the pictorial representation is parallel with the bottom surface of the recess 20.

The viewing portion of the lens member II is at least of an area substantially coextensive with the area of the pictorial representation.

With the parts in assembled condition as described, and the base held stationary, the rotation or oscillation of the lens member will cause the illustrative pictorial representation or image to acquire a Variable distorted appearance. This will readily be apparent upon a comparison of Figures 1 and 5, the latter showing the pictorial representation as it appears with the lens member removed, while Figure 1 shows the distorted appearance when the device is assembled and the lens member occupies the full line position shown in this figure. The extent of the distortion varies with the relative angular positions of the base and lens members. Thus, the construction, in addition to its' utility as a paper weight, is useful from an educational standpoint in that it offers a ready and simple means of demonstrating the properties of a cylindrical lens. The present construction permits easy assembling or disassembling of the parts and the pictorial representation may be removably carried on the top of the pedestal member so that a variety of demonstrations may be readily carried out.

To disassemble the parts for the purpose of replacing the pictorial representation, it is only necessary to rotate the lens member relative to the base until the projections M are aligned. with the slots 22, whereupon the two members may be separated from each other by a simple lateral displacement.

Referring to Figure 4,. the groove 2| and the projections l4 rotatably received. therein, constitutea bearing for the rotation of the respective members, but it is preferable to employ'the ledge I3- as an additional bearing surface for rotatably supporting the outer marginal area of the bottom. surface of the lower fiat portion: [9' of the lens member.

Whilethe deviceof the present invention may be manually operated; it is alsosusceptible of continuous and automatic operation by mechanical means; e; g;, in the casewhere the device is used for educational or advertising purposes or where the structure: is of such: substantial size as to. make: hand operation. inconvenient. The rotary or oscillatory mechanical movement of one of the members may be effected in any suitable manner. The constructionshown. in Figures 5 to '7 eXemplifies one means for mechanizing the operation of the parts to effect an oscillatory movement of the lens member. As there illustrated, the base member H1" isheld stationary and the lens member H is moved with respect thereto by means which will now bedescribed; Secured; to the bottom wall of, the base member I" is a motor 25 of any'suitable type. The motorshaft rotates through a; reduction gear (not shown) a crankshaft 26 which'extends verticall'y upwards through an opening in the basemember HI and" the free end' or: crankpin extension 21' thereof engages in an elongated recess 28 in the lower surface of the lens member ll". Due to the eccentric position. of the axis of rotation of the. shaft 26- and pin- 21- with respect tothe vertical axis of rotation of the lens member and the engagement of the crankpin in the recess 28, the rotation ofthe. crankpin will impart an oscillatory motion to. the. lens member II and thereby produce distortion of. the image as described above. 7

Instead of imparting an oscillatory motion to the lens member, this last member may be fixed and the base-member given. an oscillatory motion. Also, instead. of employing. an. oscillatory motion, one or the other of the members may be. rotated with respect to the other. The motor or prime mover 25Jwill be operated at various speeds depending upon the subject being displayed and the effect desired.

4 While I have illustrated a crank and slot arrangement for eifecting oscillatory motion of the lens member, it is to be understood that such motion or rotary motion of the lens member may be produced by other suitable means, such as cam devices or gearings.

While I have illustrated the base members I 0 and 10' as being circular, it will be understood that they may be of any desired contour.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a base member, a pictorial representation supported on said base member, and a cylindrical lensrotatably mounted above the pictorial representation and over the same, rotation of the said'lens producing a distorted image of the pictorial representation as viewed through said lens.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base member having a raised portion, a pictorial representation supported on the upper surface of the raised portion, a cylindrical lens'member having a recessed bottom adapted to be rotatably mounted about said raised portion, said lens being. disposed over. said pictorial representation, rotation of the said lens producing a distortedv image of the pictorial representation as viewed through said lens.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the raised portion on the base member is received within said recess, and the wall of said. recess and said raised portion have co-operating means for connecting the two together and permitting relative rotation thereof.

4. A device according to claim 2 in which. the surface of the bottom of the recess. is fiat and parallel to the plane of the pictorial representation.

5. A device according to claim 2 wherein the raised portion on the base member is received Within said recess, and the wall of said recess and said raised portion have co-operating means for connecting the two together and permitting relative rotation thereof, saidconnecting meanscomprising a groove on one member and projections 45 on the other said member received within said groove.

6. A device according to claim 2 wherein the raised portion is provided with outwardly extending projections and the recess in said lens is 50 provided with a groove to receive said projections.

7. A device according to claim 2 in which the raised portion is provided with an intermediate ledge formin a bearing for the lens member.

IRVING L. MITCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,264,267 Bugbee Apr. 30, 1918 511,678 Brown Dec. 26, 1893 1,204,690 Ryer Nov. 14, 1916 1,292,901 Smith Jan. 28, 1919 1,777,859 Recker Oct. 7, 1930 1,346,138 Smalley July 13, 1920 396,519 Swift Jan. 22, 1889 

